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117-hr-4426117th Congress

Homeland Security for Children Act

Sponsored By: Representative Payne, Donald M., Jr. [D-NJ-10]

Became Law

Summary

Centers children’s needs across Department of Homeland Security planning and response. The law requires DHS leaders to account for children, including those in underserved communities, in mission planning and execution and sets up coordination and reporting to ensure those needs are integrated.

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  • Families and children: DHS heads must consider the needs of children in mission planning and mission execution, which aims to make disaster and emergency actions more responsive to kids and families, including underserved communities.
  • DHS components and staff: Each head of a DHS office or component must, to the extent practicable, seek advice and feedback from organizations that represent children when reviewing or changing policies and programs.
  • Coordination and experts: The law authorizes appointing a technical expert to coordinate the identification and integration of children’s needs across preparedness, protection, response, recovery, and mitigation efforts and to consult outside organizations as needed.
  • Congress and oversight: DHS must deliver a department-wide report within one year and then annually for five years describing who is responsible, what reviews or policy changes occurred, and how outside feedback was used. Reports go to the Speaker of the House, the Vice President as President of the Senate, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, and the House Committees on Homeland Security and on Transportation and Infrastructure.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Homeland Security must plan for children

The law requires Homeland Security leaders to consider children’s needs in all planning and missions, including under-served communities. Each office head must, when practicable, get advice from groups that represent children. The usual federal advisory committee rules do not apply to this input. For disasters and terrorism, the Department builds children’s needs into preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation. The Department may appoint a technical expert to coordinate this work and consult outside experts.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Payne, Donald M., Jr. [D-NJ-10]

NJ • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2]

    MS • D

    Sponsored 7/13/2021

  • Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 7/13/2021

  • Rep. Clarke, Yvette D. [D-NY-9]

    NY • D

    Sponsored 7/13/2021

  • Rep. Swalwell, Eric [D-CA-14]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 7/13/2021

  • Rep. Langevin, James R. [D-RI-2]

    RI • D

    Sponsored 7/13/2021

  • Rep. Luria, Elaine G. [D-VA-2]

    VA • D

    Sponsored 7/13/2021

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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